Air signal valve



NOV. 1, 193.2. L L LEVI-NER 1,885,363V

v AIR SIGNAL VALVE Filed Jan, 19, 1952 Z-J l /Z a,

/ 23 af/ Pf3 Patented Nov. 1, 1932 LAWRENCE nl.. LEITNER, ortsAN LUIS oBIsPo; 'cannon-NIA f f y AIR, srefiuir.y vArivE p Application med January 19,. 19321 seria; No. 587,601.

j This `invention relfates to valves and' more particularly tioa valve adapted for usel in operatinga signal Whistle. l

An ob'ect of this invention is to provide a C5 valve construction which is particularly adapted* for use in the operationof a whistle or'sig-nal from a point remote from the valve. Another object of this `invention is tofpro-l vide a valvewhich is interposed in apressure line either air pressure or otherfluid pressure and which will remainv inoperative so long as the pressure on each side of the valve isequal but which will be movedv intor open or operative Vpositionupon decrease inthev pressure on the discharge side of thel valve.' n A furtherl objectofthis invention is to provide a simple val-ve structure of this'kind hav# ing automatiic `closingV means which automatically closes the valveupon equalization if ofthe pressure on each side of` the'vallve.V

The `above and various lother objects and advantages of this invention'will in Vpart be described inandv in part `he vunderstood from thev following detailedv description of Vthe present preferred embodiment, the same being illustratedv in the accompanying idrawing, 'wherein 'z- Figure 1 is allongitudinalsection taken substantially through'the centerofI av device constructed accordin-g'tothe preferred embodiment of this invention, showing the devicein closed position. v Figure 2 is asimilar view butshowing the device inopen position. y Y 1 Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference designate correspond'- ing parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1`O- designates generally a valve casing or housing which is provided at one end with an annular-flange 11 and at the opposite end with an annular flange 12. A head 14 enga-ges againstone end' of the 'casing 10 and is secured thereto by bolts or securing members 13'@intendingthroughV the flange 11 and a second head-15 is secured to the op-' posite end ofthe casing 10 by means of securing members 1 6. This head 14 is provided with a threadedv nipple-17 for connection to a pressure line suchv -as an air pressure or C other fluid pressurelinev and inlike manner,

`nular grooves 33 spaced one' fromvthe other the head` 1'5 is provided with a threaded nipple 18 for connection to a discharge line extending to a point remoterfrom the valve housing 10. An outlet port 19 is provided in the wall ofthe housing at' aV pointadj acentthe forward end thereof and ya nipple i 20'communicates with thisl outlet lport and isadapted to be -connected toa signal in the form of' a whistle orV other pressure operated signal. f v

A piston, generally desginated as P, is slidably'fmounted 'within the housing or cylinder V10 and is 'provided'with' a guide portion 21 disposed rearwardly from'the head 22 thereof.v 'The piston P is provided Iwith o5 relatively large peripheral groove 23 intere mediate the head 22and the guide portion 2`l, and is also provided withV an axially disposed bore 24 terminating at the' forwardy end' thereof in a restricted bleeder opening 25. The 7' piston P is also provided with ports 26'eX- tending through thel body or stem 23 thereof which communicate with the bore 24, the pur` pose-for which will be hereinafter described. The head`14is1provided with a cylindrical 'u extension 27 which extends-inwardly of the casing or cylinder- 10 and is provided at a pointintermediate its ends with discharge ports 28 through which thefluid is adapted to be discharged intoy the cylinder 10.

'The piston P is also provided with an annular extension 2 9 and a spring 30 is disposed abouty this extension 29and engagesl against one face of theguideportion 21 and the opposite endof the spring 3 0 is disposedabout anannular extension'31 carried bythe head '15. The opposite end'of the spring 30 engages against the inner face Vofthisv head 15 andthe extensions29and 31 operate to maintain the spring 30 concentrically of the piston. P y lThe cylinder or casing 10 is provided ata point intermediate the signal port 19 and the, discharge port 32 in the head v15' with: anf

and these annular grooves 30 are connected by vlongitudinally extending grooves` 34- so that whenthe piston head 22'slides over' the first annular groove 33, the fluid pressure will bereleased by pass-ing about the periphery of the piston head 22 and entering the space between the head 22 and the guide 21 and passing through the outlet ports 26 and out through the discharge port 32. In this manner, a quick release or equalization of the pressure against the head 22 is effected so that the spring 3() will return the piston 22 to a point where it will be disposed over the signal port 19 and thereby close the port. The inner end of the annular extension 27 operates as a stop for limiting the forward movement of the piston l?, and this forward movement is stopped at a point where head 22 closes the signal port 19. The headsla and 15 may be sealed to the flanges 11 and 12 respectively by means of conventional gaskets 85 or the like.

ln the operation of this device, the valve housing or cylinder 10 may be connected or interposed in a fluid pressure line such as air and the nipple 20 connected to a fluid operated signal. Vihen the pressure on the discharge side of the casing 10 is reduced by opening a valve or the like at a pointremote from the housing 10, the pressure passing through the `head 14C will fo-rce the piston P into open position and permit a portion of the pressure to pass through the signal discharge port 19 while the remaining fluid pressure will be released partially through the longitudinal grooves 34 after the head 22 has passed the first annular groove 83. It is, of course, understood that the bleeder opening 25 will permit a small quantity of the fluid pressure to pass axially through the piston P, but this bleeder opening 25 is only provided so as to permit the equalization of the pressure after the piston has been returned to closed position by the spring 30.

ln practice, the valve casing 10` has been particularly designed for connection to an air pressure line of a railway car such as a passenger car or the like and if desired, the valve casing 10 may be mounted on the engine with the signal disposed closely adjacent thereto whereas the releasing valve, not shown, may be mounted at any point on the passenger or railway car for operation by a person remotely disposed from the casing andthe engine. In this manner, the trainman can signal the engineer from one end of the train `by merely opening the valve in the air line so as to reduce the pressure in the air line on the discharge side of the valve casing 10. It is also to be noted that the annular extension 31 will contact with the extension 29 and operate as a stop for limiting the movement of the piston P in one direction in the housing whereas the annular stop member 27 limits the forward movement of the piston P.

It is, of course, understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the details of construction and design of the above specifically described embodiment of this invention without departing from the spirit thereof, such changes and modifications being restricted only by the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is 1. A signal valve comprising a cylinder having opposed intake and exhaust ports, and a signal port intermediate said ports, a piston slidable between said intake and exhaust ports, and means for automatically returning said piston to a position overlying said signal port for closing thereof, said means including a bleeder opening through the piston to `equalize the pressure on each side thereof.

2. A signal valve comprising a cylinder having spaced intake, and exhaust ports and a signal port intermediate each of said ports, a piston slidable between the intake and exhaust ports 'and closing the signal port upon movement thereof in one direction and opening the signal port upon movement thereof in the opposite direction, said piston having a bleeder opening therethrough to equalize the pressure on each side of the piston and a spring engaging one end of the cylinder and one end of the piston whereby to automatically move the piston into closed position upon equalization of the pressure on each side thereof.

,3. A signal valve comprising a cylinder having opposed intake and exhaust ports and a signal port intermediate said ports, a piston slidable between said intake and exhaust ports, said piston havingl a bleeder opening in one end thereof, and a passage opening through the opposite end thereof, said cylinder having passages at a point intermediate the signal port vand the exhaust port whereby to permit'the passage of fluid past the piston and through said piston passage to equalize the pressure on each side ofV the piston, and a spring mounted in the cylinder and engaging the piston to return the piston to closed position overlying the sign nal port upon equalization of the pressure on each side thereof.

4t. A signal valve comprising a cylinder having opposed intake and exhaust ports and a signal port intermediate said ports, said cylinder having a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves opening' on the inner sur face thereof and disposed intermediate the signal port and the exhaust port, a piston slidably mounted in the cylinder, means for normally maintaining the piston in a position overlying the signal port, said piston having a head portion of a length less than the length of said grooves whereby to permit the passage of a fluid about the periphery of the piston upon movement thereof into open position.

5. A signal valve comprising a cylinder having opposed intake and exhaust ports and a signal port intermediate said ports, said cylinder having longitudinally extending grooves opening on the inner surface thereofl and disposed intermediate the signal port and the exhaust port, a piston slidable between the intake and exhaust ports, said piston having a head of a length less'than the length ofv said grooves whereby to permit the passage Y of fluid about the periphery of the head upon movement thereof into open position, means for constantly urging the piston into closed position, and stop means carried by the pis* ton and the cylinder to limit the movement thereof in either direction. Y

6. A signal valve comprising a cylinder having opposed intake and exhaust ports and a signal port intermediate said ports, said cylinder having a plurality of longitudinally extending grooves opening on the inner surface thereof, said grooves terminating at each end in an annular groove also opening on the inner surface of the cylinder, a piston slidable in the cylinder and having a head of a length less than the length of the grooves whereby to permit the quick passage of fluid about the periphery of the piston head to'equalize the pressure on each side of the head, a guide member carried by the piston and engaging the cylinder, means for constantly urging the piston vinto closed position overlying the signal port, and stop means carried by the piston and the cylinder whereby to limit the movement of the piston in either direction.

7. A signal valve comprising a cylinder having opposed intake and exhaust ports, and a signal port intermediate said ports, said cylinder having a plurality of longitudinally extending and circumferentially spaced grooves opening on the inner surface thereof, a piston having a head of a length less than the length of the grooves whereby to permit the free passage of fluid past the head upon movement thereof into open position, a guide member carried by the piston and disposed in spaced relation to the head, the piston having areduced intermediate portion, said piston also having an enlarged axial bore terminating at the forward end in a bleeder opening, said piston also having a plurality of laterally extending passages communicating at one end with the bore and at the opposite end ywith the interior of the cylinder, a spring engaging at one end against one end of the cylinder and at the opposite end against the guide whereby to constantly urge the piston into closed position, and stop means carried by the piston and the cylinder to limit the movement thereof in either direction.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

LAWRENCE L. LEITNER. 

